Swing



Jan. 23, W R MCGOWEN SWING Filed May 27, 1932 Patented Jan. 23, 1934 P PA'IENTv ori-ics SWING William R. McGowemPittsburgh, Pa., assignor to The McKay Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application May 27, 1932. Serial No. 613,839

4 claims. (o1. 155-765) My invention relates more particularly to swings of the type which are provided with exible supporting members such as chains, ropes, or the like, but certain features thereof are applicable also to other types of seals such as chairs, etc.

One object of my invention is to provide a swing structure embodying operating levers which may be conveniently operated by the feet of the user.

` of the structure of Fig. 3, with the operating lever in reracted position.

The swing is shown as supported at its front side by a pair or" chains 5, and at its rear side by a pair of chains 6, the chains being connected at their upper ends to suitable supports such as a porch ceiling, an overhead frame or the like, in any well-known manner. A bar '7 is provided at each end of the swing, and these bars constitule a portion oi the framework.

These bars may be suitably of spring steel and are curled at their lower ends to form eyes 8. The ends of a tubular cross bar 9 extend into the eyes 8 and a tie rod 10 is disposed within each end of the tube 9, and has threaded engagement with the bar 9. At each side oi the swinga nut 11 is disposed within the adjacent end of the tie rod 10, so that when the nut is screwed up its head at 12 will force the eye 8 against a bead or rib 13 formed on the bar 9, thereby securely connecting the side b rs 7 together at their lower ends.

A screw 14 is threaded into each nut 11 and protrudes from the head 12 of the nut for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

At their upper rear ends, the side bars 7 are curled to form eyes corresponding to the eyes 8, such ends being connected by means of a tubular bar, a tie rod, and nuts corresponding to the bar 9, tie rod 10 and nuts l1 at the lower ends of the side bars. Screws 15 are threaded into the nuts at the upper ends of the bars 7 in a manner similar to that in which the screws 14 at the vlower ends are mounted. The protruding portions of the screws 15 serve as a means for connecting the rear chains 6 to the swing.

A strip 17 of canvas, leather, or other suitable material, ,has its ends looped around Vthe upper and lower tubular cross bars, and fastened io the body of the strip, by sewing or otherwise, as indicated at 18, and seat cushions 19 may be conveniently placed on the strip. The parts thus far described may be of a structural arrangement similar to that shown in my copending application, Serial No. 505,659, -led April 16, 1932'.

`A hanger bar 21 is connected at its upper end to each of the front chains 5, and the shank oi one of the screws 14 extends through one of 65 the hanger bars near the lower end of such bar to pivotally connect the bar to the swing frame. A springdike clip member 22 is secured tothe inner side of each hanger bar 21, below the pivotal connection 14. f

At each end of the swing, an operating lever 23 is pivotally supported by one of the screws 14, these levers being of approximately L-shape, as shown more clearly in Fig; 2. The lower front ends of the levers 23 are connected by foot rails 75 24 that may be fastened thereto in any suitable manner, as for example, in the same manner as the side bars 7 are connected.

Against the outer side of each lever 23, I rivet a spring 25. When the levers 23 and the foot 8,0 rails 24 are in their operative positions as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the looped forward end ofthe spring clip 25 seats within the curved forward end of the spring 22, andthe looped rear end of the spring 22 seats within the curved rear end 85 of thespring 25, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3.

A person seated in the swing may then exert foot pressure forwardly on the rails `24, tending to rock the operating levers 23. Since the intercon-A necting arrangement of the springs 22-25 limit 90 forward pivotal movement of the levers 23 relative to the hanger bars 21, the hanger bars 21 will be rocked about their pivots 14, thus shifting the center of gravity of the swing and imparting a swaying or swinging movement thereto.

When a person leaves the swing, the lower ends of the levers 23 and the foot rails carried thereby, can be readily swung to the retracted position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. In such position, the foot rails are beneath the Y swing and out of the way of a person either leaving the swing or approaching the same, the foot rails being readily operated by the heels of the 'user to bring them into operative position, or to push them out of the way.

The foot rails will not accidentally swing to the full line position of Fig. 2 because the center of gravity of such rails and the levers 23 when in such position is forwardly of the pivotal supports 14, and further because of the friction '1;10

employed in connection with a oor-supported. seat such as a chair or a bench, as distinguished' from a swing. With some types of chairs itis.

desired to employ a foot or leg rest for the greater ease of the user. Many of these foot and 'leg rests protrude to such an ei'itent 'that they serve as obstructions to persons using the chair, and

make it diiiicult for a persontoent'er `andleave the chair. With a foot or leg rest pivotally connected to a seat as shown in my application, it can be readily moved to and from projected position. i,

I claim as my invention:-

`1. Swingstructure comprising a seat frame, suspending members for the front and rear sides of the frame, a hanger bar connected at one of its ends to a suspending member and pivotally vconnected to the frame, an operating lever pivotally connected to the frame and movably connected to the said bar, and a stop device limitving movement of said lever in one direction relative to the bar, including yieldable means for .resisting movement of the lever in the opposite direction.

2 Swing structure comprising a seat frame, vsuspending members for the front and rear sides `of the frame, a hanger bar connected at one of its ends to a suspending member and pivotally .connected to theframe, `an operating lever con- :nected vto the frame and having pivotal move- `ate portions of the said levers for yieldably revhanger bars being connected to the front suspending members, and intermediate portions thereof being pivotally connected to the frame, operating levers .each pivotally connected at their upper ,ends to the front side of the frame, a foot 'rail'connectedto the lower ends of the operat- "ing levers, friction'spring devices at the lower ends of the hanger bars and engaging intermedi- Isisting relative movement of the levers and the hanger bars, `and stop. members limiting forward swinging movement of the saidlevers relative to the hanger bars. l

@Swing structure comprising a seat frame,

suspending members for the front and rear sides of the frame, a vhanger bar connected at one of its ends to a suspending member and extending upwardly from the forward edge of Ithe frame,

an operating 4lever extending below the frame, 10i" means pivo'tally interconnecting the said frame,

said hanger bar and said lever for relative pivotal movement the one with respect to the others,

and stop means limiting forward movement of the lever relative to said bar, including a yield- 110 able frictional kdevice for releasibly holding the vsaid :lever at `veither of predetermined positions with respect to the said bar.

WILLIAM R. MCGOWEN. 115 

